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Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honour
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Год написания книги
2017
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Hilda!
Hilda
[Earnestly.] It's you who've driven me into it.
Basil
Hilda, what are you going to say to him?
Hilda
I don't know – perhaps, yes?
Basil
Oh, Hilda, Hilda, you don't care for him?
Hilda
[Shrugging her shoulders.] He amuses me. I dare say we should get on very well together.
Basil
[Passionately.] Oh, you can't. You don't know what you're doing. I thought – I thought you loved me.
Hilda
It's because I love you that I shall marry Mr. Brackley.
Basil
Oh, it's absurd. I won't let you. You're making us both utterly wretched. I won't let you sacrifice our happiness. Oh, Hilda, I love you. I can't live without you. At first I tried to resist seeing you. I used to pass your door and look up at your windows; and the door seemed as if it were waiting for me. And at the end of the street I used to look back. Oh, how I used to want to come in and see you once more! I thought if I saw you just once, I should get over it. And at last I couldn't help myself. I'm so weak. Do you despise me?
Hilda
[Almost in a whisper.] I don't know.
Basil
And you were so kind I couldn't help coming again. I thought I did no harm.
Hilda
I saw you were unhappy.
Basil
I should think I was unhappy. For months I've dreaded going home. When I saw my house as I walked along I almost turned sick. You don't know how fervently I've wished that I'd got killed in the war. I can't go on.
Hilda
But you must. It's your duty.
Basil
Oh, I think I've had enough of duty and honour. I've used up all my principles in the last year.
Hilda
Don't say that, Basil.
Basil
After all, it's my own fault. I brought it on myself, and I must take the consequences… But I haven't the strength, I don't love her.
Hilda
Then don't let her ever find it out. Be kind to her, and gentle and forbearing.
Basil
I can't be kind and gentle and forbearing day after day, for weeks, and months, and years.
Hilda
I thought you were a brave man. They wouldn't have given you that medal if you'd been a coward.
Basil
Oh, my dearest, it's not hard to risk your life in the midst of battle. I can do that – but this needs more strength than I've got. I tell you I can't endure it.
Hilda
[Tenderly.] But it'll get better. You'll get used to one another, and you'll understand one another better.
Basil
We're too different. It's impossible for it to get better. We can't even go on as we have been. I've felt that the end was coming.
Hilda
But try – try for my sake.
Basil
You don't know what it is. Everything she says, everything she does, jars upon me so frightfully. I try to restrain myself. I clench my teeth to prevent myself from breaking out at her. Sometimes I can't help it, and I say things that I'd give anything to have left unsaid. She's dragging me down. I'm getting as common and vulgar as she is.
Hilda
Hilda
[Earnestly.] It's you who've driven me into it.
Basil
Hilda, what are you going to say to him?
Hilda
I don't know – perhaps, yes?
Basil
Oh, Hilda, Hilda, you don't care for him?
Hilda
[Shrugging her shoulders.] He amuses me. I dare say we should get on very well together.
Basil
[Passionately.] Oh, you can't. You don't know what you're doing. I thought – I thought you loved me.
Hilda
It's because I love you that I shall marry Mr. Brackley.
Basil
Oh, it's absurd. I won't let you. You're making us both utterly wretched. I won't let you sacrifice our happiness. Oh, Hilda, I love you. I can't live without you. At first I tried to resist seeing you. I used to pass your door and look up at your windows; and the door seemed as if it were waiting for me. And at the end of the street I used to look back. Oh, how I used to want to come in and see you once more! I thought if I saw you just once, I should get over it. And at last I couldn't help myself. I'm so weak. Do you despise me?
Hilda
[Almost in a whisper.] I don't know.
Basil
And you were so kind I couldn't help coming again. I thought I did no harm.
Hilda
I saw you were unhappy.
Basil
I should think I was unhappy. For months I've dreaded going home. When I saw my house as I walked along I almost turned sick. You don't know how fervently I've wished that I'd got killed in the war. I can't go on.
Hilda
But you must. It's your duty.
Basil
Oh, I think I've had enough of duty and honour. I've used up all my principles in the last year.
Hilda
Don't say that, Basil.
Basil
After all, it's my own fault. I brought it on myself, and I must take the consequences… But I haven't the strength, I don't love her.
Hilda
Then don't let her ever find it out. Be kind to her, and gentle and forbearing.
Basil
I can't be kind and gentle and forbearing day after day, for weeks, and months, and years.
Hilda
I thought you were a brave man. They wouldn't have given you that medal if you'd been a coward.
Basil
Oh, my dearest, it's not hard to risk your life in the midst of battle. I can do that – but this needs more strength than I've got. I tell you I can't endure it.
Hilda
[Tenderly.] But it'll get better. You'll get used to one another, and you'll understand one another better.
Basil
We're too different. It's impossible for it to get better. We can't even go on as we have been. I've felt that the end was coming.
Hilda
But try – try for my sake.
Basil
You don't know what it is. Everything she says, everything she does, jars upon me so frightfully. I try to restrain myself. I clench my teeth to prevent myself from breaking out at her. Sometimes I can't help it, and I say things that I'd give anything to have left unsaid. She's dragging me down. I'm getting as common and vulgar as she is.
Hilda
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